Naked hiking
![](../I/m/FYN_03.jpg)
Naked hiking, also known as naked walking or freehiking, is a sub-category of the modern form of social nudity, and involves the undertaking of walking activities while naked.
Attention and opinion
![](../I/m/WNBR_London_2014_9.jpg)
In the United Kingdom, Stephen Gough, known as The Naked Rambler, received much media coverage for walking naked from Land's End to John o' Groats in 2003–2004 and again in 2005–2006. He was arrested and released several times during both his walks while in England, and was imprisoned in Scotland.
Conversely to Gough's experiences, in 2005 and 2006 the European Alps were crossed naked during a one-week hiking tour, and there was little media coverage. No one was arrested or troubled, and there was no police involvement. Most naked hikers report friendly reactions from people they meet;[1] however, in some countries where such restrictions exist, the risk of being booked on a charge such as public indecency is present when hiking in the nude.
Some jurisdictions have regulations formally prohibiting this activity, and can impose fines or other punishments. A local bylaw to this effect was adopted, for example, by the 2009 General Meeting (Landsgemeinde) of the residents of the Swiss canton Appenzell Innerrhoden.[2] In nearby Appenzell Ausserrhoden, the court of second instance "Obergericht" reinforced an unpaid fine of 100 Swiss francs for naked hiking and added the court's cost of another 3330 Swiss Francs.[3]
See also
- Barefoot park
- List of places where social nudity is practised
- Nudity in sport
- Naturism
- APNEL
- World Naked Bike Ride
References
- ↑ Stephen Moss “Now which way back to the car?” in The Guardian, August 6, 2003
- ↑ Swiss canton bans nude hiking (Reuters, Mon Apr 27, 2009)
- ↑ "Nude hiker convicted" (Tages-Anzeiger, Jan 20, 2011)
External links
![]() |
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Naturism. |
- Hiking Naked Website
- 12 tips for naked hikers
- UK naked walking group
- Home of the World's Largest Gay Outdoors Club
- Song on the theme of naked hiking: Hanging low swinging free